Komodo Rhino
Komodo Rhinos are large beasts with long and powerful tails that the Fire Nation often use in large scale battles. These relentless beasts wear armor and are often employed by the military for overcoming steep walls and vertical surfaces - a fast and ferocious transport vehicle exclusive to Firebenders. They are half rhino and half komodo dragon.The Last Airbender Movie Novelization History A Komodo Rhino was first seen during the Siege of the North when a huge metal plank lowered from the lead Fire Nation ship and landed against the fort wall of the Northern Water Tribe city. The beast was released from its cage, ridden by a firebender, then charged from the ship up the platform and scaled vertically up the city wall. Overlooking the city, the firebenders bended the fire from the flaming metal cages. The attacks crashed against the wall, and sent blazing streams of fire down the courtyard below. After the first breach was made with the "fire cannon", two large Komodo Rhinos with their firebenders were seen crawling into the breach, leading the assault into the city. Anatomy The Komodo Rhino resembles both its namesakes, a large Komodo dragon and a rhinoceros. This hybridized animal is covered in thick, gray skin, which serves as natural protection for their body. This creature has a head of a komodo, with a torso resembling that of a rhinoceros, but ends in a long, komodo-like tail. The feet are short, muscular, and clawed like a komodo. Unlike their , the Komodo Rhinos shown in the film do not posses the rhino-ears and the three large curved horns that dominate their faces: two curving down from their forehead and one curving upward from their snout. Abilities Despite its size, a Komodo Rhino is surprisingly fast and agile. Its strong claws enable it to scale vertically up walls and even sideways, with a passenger and other payloads. Its thick hide provides some degree of protection against external damage and extreme temperatures, both hot and cold. Being undeterred by the flaming metal cages suggests that it is impervious to fire (as one would expect from a beast from the Fire Nation), yet capable of surviving in a sub-zero climate like in the icy poles. It is unafraid of going over iced surfaces in the poles, suggesting that it is capable of swimming or crawling out of the freezing waters if the ice breaks. Trivia * A "Komodo Rhino Launcher" was featured as part of McDonald's Happy Meal toys to promote The Last Airbender. * Komodo Rhinos are exclusively ridden by firebenders, who are elites in the Fire Nation, possibly similar to a horse is primarily ridden by knights, who were the elites in Medieval times. Being impervious to fire may be useful to a firebender. * The inclusion of the horns for its suggests that it is a herbivore, since large herbivores typically have horns to fend themselves from predators. Carnivores typically do not have horns like the Komodo Rhino in the film, relying more on its sharp teeth and claws to kill and devour their prey. * Being a ferocious carnivore, a Komodo Rhino is too dangerous to be left unattended. While being transported to the Siege of the North, the Komodo Rhinos were kept in a cage until ready to be deployed in battle. References Category:Character Category:Fire Nation Category:Komodo Rhino